Gaston College records dramatic doubleheader sweep of Patrick & Henry Community College

One week after throwing the first no-hitter in Gaston College history, pitcher Gus Hughes was dominating again for the Rhinos as his 7-4 victory Saturday started what became a dramatic doubleheader sweep of Patrick & Henry Community College at Sims Legion Park.

Gaston College, ranked in the top five of all three National Junior College Athletic Association polls, rallied from an early deficit to win 4-3 in eight innings the nightcap on Enrique Wood's walkoff RBI single to improve its overall record to 29-2 and 19-1 in the Western Division of Region 10.

Hughes, named NJCAA Division II pitcher of the week on Wednesday for his 14-strikeout effort in a 9-0 win over Wake Tech last Saturday, yielded two first-inning hits and two first-inning runs before shutting out the Patriots in his final six innings to improve his seasonal record to 5-0.

"The first inning I gave up a couple of hits," said Hughes, who retired the last eight batters he faced on Saturday to complete a seven-inning, two-hit, 11-strikeout effort. "It's just about winning the game. It's not about trying to throw another no-hitter. I kind of got it dialed in after that first inning."

Chandler Riley (three hits), Wade Kelly (two hits, two RBIs) and J.D. Yakubinis (2-run double) powered a nine-hit Rhinos' offense in the opener, with Ahmir Cournier's two-out RBI single in the fourth giving Gaston College the lead for good.

In the nightcap, Patrick & Henry led 2-0, 2-1 and 3-2 before the Rhinos forced extra innings on Miller St. John's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh then won in the eighth on Wood's dramatic hit.

Kelly was hit by a pitch to start the winning rally. After a passed ball allowed Kelly to advance to second base, Wood's one-out RBI single brought Kelly home.

"That was exactly what we thought it would be: Two really good teams going at it," Gaston College coach Shohn Doty said. "Gus had another good outing to get it started and in the second game, we needed a big hit and Enrique got it for us."

After Patrick & Henry took an early 2-0 lead, Gaston College tied the score at 2 with single runs in the first and fourth innings before the visitors pushed across a go-ahead run in the top of the seventh.

Hayden Brandon (two hits, triple, one RBI), Chandler Riley (double), Miller St. John (one hit, two RBIs), Patrick Hogan (double) and Wood (one hit, one RBI, two walks) led the Rhinos' offense.

Reliever Christian Baker went the final 1 2-3 innings with two strikeouts for the victory.

Gaston College goes for the series sweep on Sunday at noon at Sims Legion Park.

"For us, it's about continuing to improve every day," Doty said. "It'll be a challenge for us but our goal is to close out another series with a win."